Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptians Expatriates delivered on Thursday a written message from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, reiterating Egypt’s commitment to strengthening strategic ties between the two countries and enhancing coordination on regional and international issues.
Amb. Alaa Youssef named SIS Chairman
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has issued Presidential Decree No. 161 of 2026, reconstituting the Board of Directors of the State Information Service (SIS), as part of ongoing efforts to support national media institutions and enhance their role in effectively communicating Egypt’s positions and policies.
PM reviews expansion plans of desalination projects
Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli chaired a follow-up meeting on Thursday to review plans for expanding seawater desalination projects and localising related industries.
During the meeting, the premier emphasised that water security is a national priority, noting that desalination is essential to meet population growth and development needs.
Cairo, Huawei upgrade education infrastructure, boost AI learning
Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif and a delegation from Huawei, led by Li Xin, President of Huawei North Africa, discussed on Thursday co-operation in upgrading the technological infrastructure of the education system in Egypt.
UK along with more than 30 countries, discuss ways to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Almost three dozen countries will meet Thursday in an effort to exert diplomatic and political pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that has been choked off by the US-Israeli war against Iran.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the virtual meeting chaired by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper “will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and to resume the movement of vital commodities.”
Iran fires missiles at Israel, Gulf neighbours
Iran responded to US President Donald Trump’s address to Americans on the war with new missile attacks targeting Israel and the Gulf Arab states Thursday, underlining Tehran’s insistence that it rejected Washington’s outreach for a ceasefire while maintaining its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Britain planned to hold a call Thursday with nearly three dozen countries about how to reopen the strait, through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded passes in peacetime.
Key takeaways from Trump primetime speech on Iran war
President Donald Trump sought Wednesday to explain his rationale for the war against Iran at a pivotal moment at home and abroad, but he offered few new details as he amasses extraordinary executive authority to prosecute the military operation.
Notably missing from Trump’s primetime address was his oft-repeated assertion that negotiations with Iran were underway. He softened his insults against NATO allies and did not indicate he was preparing to send in ground troops, particularly to retrieve Iran’s enriched uranium. But he gave no definitive end date for the conflict.
